Thursday, January 31, 2013

One of the world's brightest young directors is being given a shot to craft a full blown feature film about the stunningly popular and enduring MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing game) WORLD OF WARCRAFT (WoW).

Duncan Jones (MOON, SOURCE CODE) is being inked to bring the game to life and I think the youthful energy that he brings to the table is exactly what is needed with this production.

All this is kinda old news to me as Peter Jackson is already adapting THE HOBBIT from the MMORPG known as LOTRO (Lord Of The Rings Online). Ok, joking. But seriously, I like LOTRO so much more than WoW. AND, it is free to play. I'm not kidding. Yes, you'll probably wind up spending $40 at some point but seriously you won't have to spend any more than that to play the game indefinitely and truly enjoy it. And if you are a bit of a miser, you don't have to pay a cent. Ever. But I digress...

It looks like WORLD OF WARCRAFT is heading for a 2015 launch date which makes it a VERY exciting year indeed for features. Lensing is looking to see light this fall.

There is no word at all about whether WORLD OF WARCRAFT would be in 3D or not, but with the studio spending over $100m on this and Warner's history with the Harry Potter finale and pushing MAN OF STEEL to 3D, I'd say it's looking good for this one too. I'd wager a 3D conversion at this point. I'll let you know the moment I know more...

Oh and a bit of trivia - Jones is the son of legendary rocker David Bowie...

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Check out what director J.J. Abrams had to say about STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS. He's obviously enthused with the new advances that have been made since the last Trek he made.

Abrams says:"Without question the IMAX and 3D of it will give viewers yet another level of excitement."

Here's the storyline for the movie:When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Looks that way!Paul Giamatti is apparently in talks to take on the role of The Rhino in Marc Webb's THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2. The Rhino would join Jamie Foxx's Electro for villain duties. Dean DeHaan is joining as Harry Osborne.

Here's Giamatti on the character:“I thought Rhino was the greatest thing when I was a little kid,” he told ShowbizSpy in March 2011. “It was a guy who was basically in this rhinoceros outfit, and I always thought, ‘Why don’t they have The Rhino in one of their movies.’ But maybe The Rhino wasn’t that big of a deal for anybody but me. … If they ever go with The Rhino, I would be ready and waiting.”He also talked about the character on Conan:“The Rhino was fantastic," he said. "He was, like, a Russian guy. He was real fast, and he hit stuff real hard."

So apparently Giamatti has been anxious to play the role for some time now - that is ALWAYS a good sign. At first look I was a little hesitant but after hearing his exuberance to play the part - all the power to him. Shooting is slated to begin in February.

Re-introducing MarketSaw's coverage of upcoming 3D movies! If you want to see what's coming up for 3D movies in the near or far future, have a look right here. Upcoming 3D movie lists for years 2014 and beyond will be added on soon.

Monday, January 28, 2013

You can expect much, much more hoopla around Zach Snyder's MAN OF STEEL in the coming months - clearly it's going to be a spectacle and is definitely on my most anticipated 3D movies for 2013.

Check the magazine cover that graces Henry Cavill as Supe himself. It'll be on shelves this Thursday.

Here's the storyline for the movie:In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time. Clark Kent/Kal-El (Cavill) is a young twentysomething journalist who feels alienated by powers beyond anyone’s imagination. Transported to Earth years ago from Krypton, an advanced alien planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question – Why am I here? Shaped by the values of his adoptive parents Martha (Lane) and Jonathan Kent (Costner), Clark soon discovers that having super abilities means making very difficult decisions. But when the world needs stability the most, it comes under attack. Will his abilities be used to maintain peace or ultimately used to divide and conquer? Clark must become the hero known as “Superman,” not only to shine as the world’s last beacon of hope but to protect the ones he loves.

MAN OF STEEL opens on June 14. What do you think? Can Cavill pull it off?

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Finally we have word (via The Wrap) that J.J. Abrams has accepted the helm of STAR WARS: EPISODE VII! This after turning down the opportunity back in December.

Apparently ARGO director Ben Affleck was being seriously considered as well, but an aggressive Kathleen Kennedy and Disney nabbed the STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS director Abrams.

By the time he starts lensing EP VII Abrams will be well versed on the requirements of shooting with an eye toward a 3D conversion. I was hoping for native 3D but will we see this from Abrams? Most likely not unfortunately. But a great conversion will suffice - along the lines of Marvel have been doing lately will bring a smile to my face.

What do you think of this selection? Personally I think Affleck would have been better, but I've been warming to Abrams of late. I just think Abrams style is better suited to STAR TREK which always seemed a bit lighter to me than STAR WARS.

This first-look at the film will play across the globe beginning January 24th and run throughout “HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTER’S” theatrical engagement.

Based on the best-selling HASBRO characters, this follow-up to the 2009 release of “G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA,” which grossed more than $300 million worldwide, is di Bonaventura production and is presented by Paramount Pictures, MGM and Skydance Productions, in association with Hasbro.

In this sequel, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra, they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. The film stars D.J. Cotrona, Byung-hun Lee, Adrianne Palicki, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Ray Stevenson, Elodie Yung, Channing Tatum with Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson. Directed by Jon M. Chu, and produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner of Hasbro, from a screenplay by Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick, based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe® characters.

“G.I. JOE: RETALIATION” is in theaters everywhere March 29th, 2013.

“HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS” stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as Hansel and Gretel, who, after getting a taste for blood as children, become the ultimate vigilantes, hell bent on retribution. Now, unbeknownst to them, Hansel and Gretel have become the hunted, and must face an evil far greater than witches… their past. In addition to Renner and Arterton, the film stars Famke Janssen and Peter Stormare. Written and directed by Tommy Wirkola and produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Kevin Messick and Beau Flynn.

“HANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS” opens in the U.S. and Canada on January 24, 2013 with show times beginning at 10 p.m.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Ok, so my list has no bearing on who is going to win awards at the 3D Creative Arts Awards for 2012 (only 2 weeks away - can't wait!), but I do have my opinion and where better else to voice it than right here?

Keep in mind my ratings combine my feelings for not only how good the 3D was but also the movie itself (which is different than what I did last year).

Without further ado, here are my selections - have at it! Let me know how yours differs or how much you perfectly agree with me :-)

Ang Lee's LIFE OF PI was absolutely brilliant and on any other year would have easily took top place for me, but wow - Peter Jackson's HFR 3D was spellbinding! My jaw hadn't been locked open like that since AVATAR. Congratulations to all of my top ten list and more for an outstanding year in 2012. And 2013 promises us even more excitement!

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And here are the results of the MarketSaw Reader's Poll asking the question: "What was your favorite 3D movies of 2012?"

It looks like we were in agreement on THE HOBBIT but you guys have PROMETHEUS in second spot ahead of LIFE OF PI. While I thoroughly enjoyed Ridley Scott's return to sci-fi, Pi's adventure was enough for me to move it ahead. To each there own - you can't go wrong with any of these top ten movies!

It was surprising to me is how well DREDD fared with you though. I found the 3D was headache inducing but perhaps that was my particular screening. In retrospect though, the CG shots were spectacular in 3D and then when we flipped back to native 3D, it went back to mundane for me. I enjoyed JOHN CARTER and WRATH OF THE TITANS so much more. Do I want more of Karl Urban's Dredd though? Darn right. I want better 3D next time too. DREDD didn't make my top ten.Stay tuned for our annual MOST ANTICIPATED list of movies for 2013 coming up soon!

Rodriguez addressed the native 3D shoot with MTV:"We shot this in 3D. We didn’t shoot Sin City in 3D. I wouldn’t want to convert that one probably. The difference in shooting it is just… you can’t even compare. Because this is a very two dimensional world it’s very stylised. To see that kind of stylisation in 3D will blow people’s mind."

Here's a brief storyline from Amazon:Stuck with nothing but a seedy gumshoe job and some demons, Dwight's thinking of all the ways he's screwed up and what he'd give for one clear chance to wipe the slate clean, to dig his way out of the numb gray hell that is his life. And he'd give anything. Just to feel the fire. One more time. But he can't let himself lose control again, can't ever let the monster out. And then Ava calls.Can't wait to see this franchise in 3D for the first time - it's practically begging for the third dimension! SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR opens on October 4.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

It's with great pleasure that I announce MarketSaw's new 3D Media Connect initiative. We're working closely with 3D industry insiders including the International 3D Society to deliver a much needed resource to today's media: A reliable and timely source of 3D information, talking points, executive quotes and interviews.

Today's media has a problem. They will see a story that they want to cover and can't quite get the vetted information that they need to complete their story before their deadline. Sometimes their stories can go out without the backing of solid data and supporting quotes for example. The problem is that all of this can lead to misleading or out of context information for the public to consume. Moreover, stories tend to propagate in a viral fashion throughout the Internet and build upon each other's mis-information. It's kind of like saying a phrase to a person at the end of the line and telling him to pass it on down the line. By the time it reaches the end the phrase is changed entirely.

We want to help eliminate that problem. We're going to present good data and talking points on 3D and it's verticals, provide a roster of 3D executives and creative talent for support quotes and interviews, maintain a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list as well as a Myths Debunked page. Finally I'll be bringing back the MarketSaw 3D movie list.

It won't be a simple task, but the end result will be worth it. So if you are in media and need to make your deadline on anything to do with 3D entertainment, we are now your one stop shop.

I look forward to working with you all! If you aren't media but simply curious - by all means, check out the pages. Your comments are greatly appreciated. Email me at jim (at) marketsaw (dot) com.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Hey all, Tim here, and I came upon an article written for the LA Times Hero Complex that has an interview with THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY visual effects supervisor Joe Letteri. I've embedded the videos below, but you can also view them along with reading the full interview here.

The interview may be familiar to MarketSaw readers, but the videos are amazing. They show great behind the scenes processes used by WETA Digital to bring the amazing digital characters in THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY to life. It's a task just bringing Gollum to life, but to also have to bring the Goblin King and Azog to life along with all the other digital characters is an amazing feat for one film. A job well done.

It should be noted that besides being nominated for their visual effects work on THE HOBBIT: AUJ, WETA is also nominated for their contributions to Prometheus and The Avengers, however AUJ is the only one that had all the work done in one place... at WETA. WETA's work on THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is my pick for Best Visual Effects at the Academy Awards for this last year.

THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is still in theaters in 2D, 3D, IMAX 3D, and HFR 3D. It's on route to make $1 Billion at the worldwide box office. If you haven't had the opportunity to check it out yet, there's no better time than now.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Exciting news for the TERMINATOR franchise! Patrick Lussier (DRIVE ANGRY, DRACULA 2000) and Laeta Kalogridis (BATTLE ANGEL, SHUTTER ISLAND) have been inked to write the fifth installment in the time travelling doomsday series.

Megan Ellison (daughter of billionaire Larry Ellison) owns the rights to the franchise (Annapurna Pictures) and she has the deep pockets to pull off practically anything she desires - which makes this announcement very exciting. Top that off with Schwarzenegger thinking on returning to the franchise in some fashion certainly gets the blood boiling. His age will be a factor obviously, but that wouldn't stop a performance capture contribution for example. I'm excited!

This is not the first project that this duo have teamed up for. Lussier and Kalogridis also were tapped by Skydance Productions (owned by David Ellison - Megan's brother) to write an original scifi adventure movie for them. No word on the status of this particular project as of yet. Makes me wonder if this was the same project all along... Hmmm.

There is every reason to think that this assembled team and financing will succeed. They have the talent, the required background and money to pull it off. I'm convinced TERMINATOR 5 will be a 3D production - I don't see why not with this assembled team.I'll have more exciting news about Lussier and others soon in connection with my 3D month initiative! Stay tuned!!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

At last we have a release date for Alfonso Cuaron's GRAVITY and Warner Bros are letting the apples fall where they may (as you know, I love puns); the movie is going head to head with STAR WARS: EPISODE III - REVENGE OF THE SITH 3D, PARANOIA, SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR and THE DELIVERY MAN on October 4th.

Here's the storyline for the movie:Sandra Bullock plays Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone–tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth…and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

Can't wait for the rumored 17 minute, single take, opening shot! I think Bullock will hit this one out of the park and Clooney in a supporting role will be very interesting as well. As you know suspended objects in Space (as in water) play VERY well in 3D - should be a spectacle!

The more I see of the special effects and stunt work the more I hope the story matches the action! G.I. JOE: RETALIATION looks amazing so far and with the time being put into the 3D conversion we should be happy with that result too.

Here's the storyline for the movie:A follow-up to the 2009 release of G.I. JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA, which grossed over $300M worldwide, Paramount Pictures, MGM and Skydance Productions, in association with HASBRO and di Bonaventura Pictures, commences production on G.I. JOE: RETALIATION. In this sequel, the G.I. Joes are not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence. The film stars D.J. Cotrona, Byung-hun Lee, Ray Park, Adrianne Palicki, Jonathan Pryce, RZA, Ray Stevenson, Channing Tatum with Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson. Directed by Jon M. Chu, and produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Brian Goldner, from a screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe(R) characters.

3D Month Continues! I'm excited to announce the upcoming 3D Creative Arts Awards at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 6th, 2013. The International 3D Society is the host. Yours truly will be there and mingling with of all those amazing and creative 3D aficionados. Expect full details!

As 3D enthusiasts yourself, I'm sure you will be interested in this gala event!

Here is the official announcement (emphasis is mine):

Dear friends,

On behalf of the Board of Governors of the International 3D Society and 3D@Home, we cordially invite you to join us as we honor the people and organizations who have distinguished themselves in the 3D arts and technologies at this year’s 4th Annual 3D Creative Arts Awards.

Our annual black tie dinner has become an exciting and enjoyable evening for our friends to gather and celebrate the best of 3D from around the world.

Please join us as we honor director Ang Lee for his extraordinary achievement with ‘Life of Pi,’DreamWorks Animation (DWA) for their leadership in 3D artistic and technical achievement, and 3net as it celebrates its 2nd anniversary.

Your red carpet cocktail reception, honoring this year’s 3D Technology Award Winners, will be held at 6pm. Dinner will follow in the Crystal Ballroom at 7pm, and our program will begin promptly at 8pm.

There are a limited number of tickets and tables available, so we encourage you to RSVP as soon as you know you’d like to join us.

Monday, January 14, 2013

I believe this one, if true, has surprised even my source! Zach Snyder apparently is developing his own stand alone STAR WARS movie that is not expected to be included in the numbered set of franchise movies. I suppose this could led to a whole new franchise for the iconic brand. But that's not all...

Here's where it get more interesting: Vulture claims that Snyder will be basing his stand alone movie on the classic SEVEN SAMURAI and substituting the ronin and sword with knight and lightsaber. Very interesting indeed!

Here's the plot from the SEVEN SAMURAI (SPOILERS!) from Wikipedia:A gang of marauding bandits approaches a mountain farming village, but their chief recognizes they have ransacked this village before, and decides it is best to spare it until the harvest in several months. A villager overhears this. The farmers go to their elder, who declares that they should hire samurai to help defend the village. Since they have nothing to offer but food, the elder tells them to "find hungry samurai."Several men go to the city, but are turned away by every samurai they ask. They watch as an experienced samurai, Kambei, deftly rescues a young boy taken hostage by a thief. Impressed, a young samurai named Katsushirō asks to become his disciple. Kambei insists that he walk with him as a friend. The farmers are overjoyed when Kambei agrees to help them. With Katsushirō's assistance, he recruits four more masterless samurai: Gorobei Katayama, clever and good natured; Heihachi, a good-humored samurai with mediocre swordsmanship; Shichirōji, an old friend of Kambei's; and Kyūzō, a taciturn master swordsman. Although Kambei had judged that seven samurai would be necessary, time is running short. The villagers beg him to take Katsushirō and, after some prodding, he agrees. The clownish Kikuchiyo, whom Kambei had rejected, follows them, ignoring their attempts to drive him away.When the samurai arrive, the villagers cower in their homes. The samurai feel insulted by their cold reception. Suddenly, the alarm is raised; the villagers, fearing that the bandits have returned, beg the new arrivals to protect them. Kikuchiyo, who raised the false alarm, rebukes the villagers for their poor behavior. The samurai accept him, bringing their number to seven. The villagers offer white rice to the samurai, the best they have, while they eat millet.As they prepare, the two groups slowly come to trust each other. However, when the samurai discover that the villagers have murdered and robbed fleeing samurai in the past, they become angry. Kikuchiyo castigates his comrades for ignoring the hardships that the farmers have to overcome to survive, including harassment from the warrior class. This reveals his origins as a farmer's son to Kambei. The anger the samurai felt turns to shame.They construct fortifications and train the farmers for battle. Katsushirō, the youngest samurai, begins a relationship with Shino, who had been forced to masquerade as a boy by her father to protect her from the supposedly lustful samurai.As the time for the raid approaches, two bandit scouts are killed, while another is captured and forced to reveal the location of their camp. Three of the samurai, guided by Rikichi, strike preemptively. Many bandits are killed, but Heihachi is slain by gunfire. When a woman emerges from the bandits' burning house, she sees Rikichi and runs back inside to perish in the flames. Rikichi reveals that this was his wife, who had been kidnapped and defiled.When the bandits attack, they are confounded by the new fortifications. Several are killed attempting to scale the barricades or cross the moats. However, they possess three dangerous muskets. Kyūzō sets out on his own and returns with a musket. A jealous Kikuchiyo later abandons his post to get another musket, leaving his contingent of farmers leaderless. Although he succeeds, the bandits attack his post, overwhelming and killing some of the farmers. Kambei is forced to send reinforcements, leaving the main post undermanned when the bandit chief leads a charge against this position. Although they are repelled, Gorobei is shot and killed. Yohei is also slain.Kambei's stratagem is to allow one bandit to enter through a gap in the fortifications, block the rest with a "wall" of spears, and kill the lone enemy. This succeeds several times.On the second night, Kambei instructs them to prepare for a final, decisive battle. However, in the midst of planning Shino's father catches her with Katsushirō and beats Shino. Katsushirō hangs his head in shame while the rest of the Samurai and villagers look on. As it begins to rain, everyone goes back to their posts. When morning breaks, Kambei orders his forces to allow the remaining bandits in. Most of the attackers are killed, but their leader takes refuge in a hut unseen. In what is portrayed as a dishonorable act, he shoots Kyūzō from the hut, killing him. A despondent Katsushirō seeks to avenge his hero, but an enraged Kikuchiyo charges ahead of him, only to be shot himself. Kikuchiyo kills the bandit chief before dying. Kambei and Shichirōji sadly observe "we've survived once again".Afterward, the three surviving samurai watch the villagers happily planting the next crop. They reflect on the relationship between the warrior and farming classes: though they have won the battle, they have lost their friends with little to show for it. "Again we are defeated," Kambei muses. "The winners are those farmers. Not us."

Vultures sources also say that: "Snyder’s would start production after Disney starts on its planned 2015 release of Star Wars: Episode VII, and while no director has yet been set for Episode VII, clearly things are taking shape at Lucasfilm."

WOW! I still digesting this news and the implications. Certainly if this is true Disney is not sitting on its laurels but diving in head first here. Rather sneaky for Snyder to express his non-interest in directing the seventh STAR WARS film and yet be so heavily and silently connected! Needless to say if this all holds water, we're going to be breathless for more details - the whole premise sounds amazing.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

With Steven Spielberg enjoying the fruits of his labor on LINCOLN and his 12 Oscar nominations (1 more than Ang Lee's LIFE OF PI) and news that he has back-burnered ROBOPOCALYSE and Christopher Nolan taking over the reins on INTERSTELLAR - what was left for the master storyteller?

How about JURASSIC PARK 4 in 3D? Potentially. He is already inked as producer so if he has time freed up he could conceivably consider joining as director. Further, the movie is being fast tracked in native 3D. Universal has stated that JP4 is pegged for a June 13, 2014 release.

With the original and best JURASSIC PARK being re-released in 3D on April 5, it's likely to build up a healthy appetite for more dino-mite storytelling! You see what I did there? :-)

Friday, January 11, 2013

Just got an email from Karl Kozak, owner of 3D Film Factory of San Diego and they have a new version of their 3D Bullet Rig that now brings in motorization. As an aspiring 3D filmmaker myself with Phobia Films, I thought that this press release would be of interest to many looking for a budget native 3D rig. Have a look (emphasis is mine):

Hollywood, CA – The latest version of the 3D Bullet Rig now offers complete remote control (motorization) of the Inter-occular and convergence settings. The newest Bullet Rig is now the most affordable, motorized 3D system available.

This latest version utilizes small Heden or Presten servo motors to remotely control BOTH the inter-occular (0”-3.5”) and convergence (0°-3°) remotely. Of course, manual control is still an option was well.

"We’ve used the rig on a five month 3D feature. It’s India’s most ambitious 3D project to date and stars some of their biggest stars. We shot with two Epics",said veteran stereographer Keith Driver."The crew was initially on a larger much more expensive system, but believe it or not, it moved too slow, cost a fortune. They weren’t getting the set-ups. They switched to the Bullet Rig and the set-ups were almost doubled. It’s a fast, light rig. Because it’s inexpensive, some stereographers dismiss it - because they’ve never used it."

Priced at a fraction of other professional 3D rigs (under $7K), this compact beam-splitter rig is the most affordable, professional solution for location, reality, or feature 3D filmmaking. Its’ list of features surpasses that of other more expensive rigs. The Bullet rig incorporates a solid rail system that supports greater weight loads. The rig also features adjustable handles, shoulder mount, tripod mount and works seamlessly with EasyRig, Steadicam, or just handheld.

About the 3D Film FactoryEstablished in 2008 by award-winning filmmakers and veteran stereographers, the 3D Film Factory has been the worldwide leader in professional, affordable 3D camera rigs and real-time 3D monitoring solutions. In addition we provide a host of 3D production services worldwide including, stereographers ‘for hire’, 3D camera rig rental, 3D viewing systems, and 3D post, as well as intensive 3D training workshops. Former clients include ESPN, NASA, Disney, HD Cinema, Pinewood Studios and Discovery. For more information visit www.3DFilmFactory.com

Here's the storyline for the movie:EPIC is a 3D CG action-adventure comedy that reveals a hidden world unlike any other. From the creators of ICE AGE and RIO, EPIC tells the story of an ongoing battle deep in the forest between the forces of good who keep the natural world alive and the forces of evil who wish to destroy it. When a teen age girl finds herself magically transported into this secret universe, she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters in order to save their world… and ours.

You can see more details about these sessions right here. We'll have more news coming from the show as we get it!

2013 has over 50 S3D movies on tap for us and that has me over the top with excitement. We all know about the big budget ones like: HANSEL AND GRETEL WITCH HUNTERS, JACK THE GIANT SLAYER, Oz the Great and Powerful, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Iron Man 3, PACIFIC RIM, The Great Gatsby, Star Trek Into Darkness, Man of Steel, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Thor: The Dark World, 47 Ronin, Gravity and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.But what movies are going to sneak up on us and truly surprise us with they're ingenuity and creativity? Stay tuned! We've got a lot to discuss!!

I liked this movie much more than I thought I would. I was thinking about where they could go with this "same old, same old"; I didn't really think that director John Luessenhop and his team had the go ahead to do something a little off base.

Wrong. What I got was actually an entertaining story that made you pay attention. That doesn't happen too many times in this genre of film. Sad that it doesn't happen more often but perhaps the times are changing.

Another thing - this movie introduces us further to many future movie stars. One of them is a sure fire thing - Scott Eastwood. Yes, that's Clint's son. And he's a dead ringer for him. He grabs the screen in the same fashion as his dad - just wait until he works out his own expressive nuances and he's golden. You can see huge improvements in his acting capabilities and pay attention to his character because it's important.

Another is Alexandra Daddario who first really stepped forward in the PERCY JACKSON franchise (the second movie SEA OF MONSTERS is in post right now). Other than being striking, she can also flip a switch and really amp up her acting chops. Although she does need to work on her horror movie "tripping skills". You'll know what I mean.

Here's the storyline for the movie:TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D continues the legendary story of the homicidal Sawyer family, picking up where Tobe Hooper’s 1974 horror classic left off in Newt, Texas, where for decades people went missing without a trace. The townspeople long suspected the Sawyer family, owners of a local barbeque pit, were somehow responsible. Their suspicions were finally confirmed one hot summer day when a young woman escaped the Sawyer house following the brutal murders of her four friends. Word around the small town quickly spread, and a vigilante mob of enraged locals surrounded the Sawyer stronghold, burning it to the ground and killing every last member of the family—or so they thought.Decades later and hundreds of miles away from the original massacre, a young woman named Heather learns that she has inherited a Texas estate from a grandmother she never knew she had. After embarking on a road trip with friends to uncover her roots, she finds she is the sole owner of a lavish, isolated Victorian mansion. But her newfound wealth comes at a price as she stumbles upon a horror that awaits her in the mansion’s dank cellars.

So let's address our ratings categories one at a time shall we?

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Stereoscopic 3D - 88%. First of all I will let you know that this movie was shot in native 3D using 3ality Technica 3D camera rigs. So great pedigree there. However I found that the 3D could have been used much more effectively in many different scenes. The few that stand out for me are street level shots of the feminine and masculine wiles of the actors as well as the up close and personal chainsaw scenes which you will immediately see for yourself - they probably were CG effects regardless.

Ray Hannisian was the stereographer.

But more upsetting to me was the presence of what I call "Bright Illumination Fog". Whenever there was a bright light shining into the camera and more often in this movie, the sun's reflection on car's windshields there was a jarring fog that would appear on the screen and obscure the scene and break the suspension of disbelief for the audience - well, at least me. I know I am tuned in to things like this, but I REALLY despise this lack of detail. There is a scientific reason why this phenomenon happens which I won't go into right now, but it's easily solved by using a 2D to 3D conversion for those scenes. There are some things that conversion are simply better at and this is one of them. Don't get me wrong - I prefer native 3D currently, but unless this issue can be worked out within that scope - convert parts of it. Problem solved.

Visual / Special Effects / Stunts - 91%. For the most part was very well done and perhaps the best element of the whole production. Hats off to the team. Scenes were believable and that is HUGE. Recommend a stunt double for Daddario at times.

Cinematography - 84%. Again the total visual package lies with the Director and the Cinematographer (and Stereographer) and those Bright Illumination Fogs really get to me. Other than that, I thought the scenes were lit correctly and framed well. Nothing too much to take issue with here.

Sound / Score - 75%. Again, not much to comment on here. The closing credits were scored very well, but the rest of the movie was truly unremarkable - which is in most cases a good thing. You don't need to be taken out of the movie by noticing the music unless the director intends for you to be (like Tarantino). So an above average grade here because if you mess up with the score and sound, the whole movie drops immeasureably.

Directing - 78%.Luessenhop could have nailed this thing but didn't. He's above average I will say, but there were a number of errors that bother me. Follow Eastwood's character to the end of his arc and you will understand part of my concern. But listen - great job on the interesting story and character development that normally doesn't happen in this genre. Pacing was abrupt at times but successfully pushed the story forward.

Suspension of Disbelief - 76%. Some of the acting (especially in the early scenes) really do affect this grade. I need to be convinced of emotions and that wasn't happening in some scenes. When that blows up then I shake my head. However, once the movie got some steam up, the acting improved. Another inconsistency with Luessenhop I found.Character Development - 82%. Well played. Sure, some characters fell off (like the above mentioned Eastwood who played Carl) but overall it was a pleasure to watch. I won't give away details but suffice to say that even horror movies deal with humans and with that comes emotion and less than perfect lives. I like the attention to detail with several elements of Daddario's character Heather for example.

Acting - 74%.The early scenes were a mess pure and simple. They should have been shot those until the best results were achieved because I was not enjoying the movie from the get-go. But after 10 minutes or so it all picked up. I thought that Shaun Sipos (who plays Darryl) did an outstanding job and he should be going places. Look for a major break out role for this guy coming soon, I'm sure.

Story - 71%. THE most important element of a movie. Characters have to be who they are. They can't all make huge unexpected turns at once and not expect the audience to pick up on that and wonder "What the heck?". So yes, there were a few moments like that in the story. One involves Sipos' Darryl character and the rest of the group. You'll know it when you see it. It just wouldn't happen that way. Oh well. Nice character arcs though for both Daddario's Heather and Dan Yeager's Leatherface. As far as the acts are concerned, the first act suffered along. The second act picked up significant steam and the third act was satisfying - could have been better... but satisfying. In other words: Stick around. It'll be worth it.

Overall a great horror movie to go see on the big screen in 3D. TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D is now playing. I give the movie 8 stars out of 10.Thanks so much to Empire Theatres for the screening! The projection was bright and the service awesome.

Guillermo del Toro's PACIFIC RIM is looking better and better in each new glimpse of the monster flick, in what has been to date a very well run marketing campaign. Case in point is this second trailer which expands upon what we have already seen in the first iteration.

This trailer was released at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Here's the storyline for the movie:When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Monday, January 07, 2013

I have to say this project absolutely fascinates me. Guillermo del Toro came close with his James Cameron produced effort to obtain financing from Universal for AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS but in the end the studio backed out. And with that rejection del Toro decided that the project resembled Ridley Scott's PROMETHEUS too much and completely shelved it.

Or did he? Tom Cruise is STILL attached. I'm uncertain if Cameron is still around to produce (his life is about to get some Pandora pandemonium), but this thing is still alive. Sounds more like halfway between the back and front burners to me!

Now check what Guillermo had to say about the project:"I'm going to try it one more time. Once more into the dark abyss. We're gonna do a big presentation of the project again at the start of the year and see if any [studio's] interested...Yeah, Tom [Cruise] is still attached. I think it would be so fantastic to make it with him. He's been such a great ally of the project."

And after seeing PROMETHEUS in theaters, del Toro seemed to be comfortable with the whole thing and laughed it off:"I saw it finally and.. yes, there are things in common, but, you know, screw it. Lovecraft was there first."

...And a huge smile spreads across my face. AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS is an all or nothing effort and judging by the way PACIFIC RIM looks, I think he will get his financing finally. Will Legendary Pictures step up to the plate? Here's hoping! Imagine that Lovecraft classic amplified by del Toro's magic on the silver screen in 3D...

Saturday, January 05, 2013

John Luessenhop's TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D buzzed the holdovers this Friday with an estimated $10.2 million take and heading for a low $20 million weekend - good enough for first place at the box office.Meanwhile THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY is still hiking up the box office record list very successfully. It may surpass THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING ($23 m) for the best 4th weekend of the Middle-earth Tolkien franchises. JOURNEY is looking at a potential $16 million haul this weekend. Already the movie has gathered $252 million domestically and $513 million for a worldwide total of $765 million.

Here's the top 5 performers on Friday:
1. TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D: $10.2 million
2. DJANGO UNCHAINED: $6.2 million
3. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY: $5.2 million
4. LES MISERABLES: $4.9 million
5. PARENTAL GUIDANCE: $3.1 millionHANSEL AND GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS opens on the 25th and thus yet another 3D movie will be pushed into the top 5 - stay tuned for more results next week. In the meantime, have a look at the red band trailer (if you're of age!):

Here's the storyline for the movie:Catching up with Hansel (Renner) and Gretel (Arterton) 15 years after the traumatic incident involving a gingerbread house, the siblings have evolved into vengeful bounty hunters dedicated to exterminating witches. Over the years, the siblings became expert hunters, famous for their proficiency at tracking and taking down their prey. Although still recovering from their ordeal, their work is relatively easy as for an unknown reason harmful spells and curses do not work well against them.The Mayor of Augsburg recruits them to rid the town and nearby forests of an evil sorceress (Janssen) who is planning to sacrifice many local children at the witches’ gathering during the upcoming ‘Blood Moon’ night in two days time. To make things worse, the duo also has to deal with the brutal Sheriff Berringer (Stormare) who has taken power in Augsburg and conducts a very indiscriminate witch-hunt of his own.

Friday, January 04, 2013

Got some new images for you from upcoming 2013 3D movies, namely MAN OF STEEL, OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL and DESPICABLE ME 2.I have to say that I think Henry Cavill is an excellent choice of Clark Kent / Superman. I don't know if anyone will ever top Christopher Reeve as the man of steel because he kind of set the bar incredibly high to begin with. But Cavill is certainly believable from everything I've seen thus far.

I think the imagery in Sam Raimi's OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL is indeed great and powerful - and I've noticed a few tricks up his sleeve during the trailers that I think will play out very well in 3D (the B&W to color transition and the extra depth space held in the temporary smaller visual screen size) so I'm anxious to see if those creative touches light up the movie as I think they will.

DESPICABLE ME 2? Well what's not to like really. Love the characters. And those minions are the secret sauce of this franchise - there's more proof in the image!

Out of the three depicted in this post, I'll go with MAN OF STEEL as my most anticipated. More thoughts on upcoming movies are on my short list! Stay tuned.MAN OF STEEL flies into theaters June 14, OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL opens March 8 and DESPICABLE ME 2 is slated for July 3.

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

I can't list them all as it would dominate the front page far too much - and I know that will disappoint some of the respective creatives that read MarketSaw; so a preemptive "sorry" from me!

Take your time and check off your favorite 3D movies of 2012 and by the time 2 weeks rolls around I will have my Top 10 list done and we can discuss. Immediately after that we'll tackle the most anticipated 3D movies of 2013!

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

Tim here, and I want to add to a series I'm going to deem World Wide Web 3D (WWW3D) from now on. This will be a multi-part post. However, please don't regard this posting series to be on a regular basis, but sporadically, as articles will come when they come. This article can be attributed in large part to the efforts of Adobe and their recent Web Updates. Adobe Edge brings web animation closer to After Effects, which does stereoscopic graphics as well as any other 3D software application. Where will the web go with this stereoscopic revolution regarding Google Maps?

Simply put: maps are geometric calculations based on the Earth, as measured via scientifically accurate measures from satellites.Google has a street view on major cities, but also very good 3D imaging. Mobile devices are now receiving those direct navigations more accurately, and thus with stereoscopic imaging on phones the major mapping corporations will be able to use all data to accurately portray certain information to people to make them more informed.

Imagine a situation... You and a friend are out in the world, someplace unfamiliar, and you decide to find food. Based on up to date information businesses can be found, and geolocation coordinates can be discovered. Most street view software used by Googleimages 360° all around a given point, and merges multiple photographs together to make a composite. Soon those multiple images will have simple stereo calculations providing stereo view through processor conversion. This of course requires algorithms written by a standards comity for various screen sizes...

Most WWW3D sites will require standard screen sizes, but at the same time if one could calculate the biggest screen size imaginable and go off percentages of that, then websites and stereo calculations can be easily derived. This comes to cooperation of web-enabled devices' manufacturers. I promise that's impossible in that competitive market. Thus, it will happen in due time: one year and six months. That's at least the time required for standards to be decided on and current autostereoscopic displays could be implemented on devices already out on market. Then the web's tool sets will have to be slightly refined to include stereo space more frequently, and some language may have to be written for commands and style settings.

Now this works perfectly with the major adoptive use for phones, but finding where you're trying to go, that's the big seller of mobile devices. That's why Google Maps was so important to iPhone users. Imagine when all mobile devices are feeding traffic patterns. I know most mobile phones can get an app now that uses to navigation features to give a speedometer. Major speeding violations could possibly be tracked via satellite, and cell carriers could be fined, forcing all passengers to reinforce slower driving. However, that's another concept for another time. The key is stereo integration. Those 3D maps will be able to help people navigate places better, and the future of 3D mapping will shock many.

Don't forget some thoughts on the future from our past interpretations. Automatically navigated vehicles are a major part of those future interpretations. It will be here because of the 3D mapping, which will accurately display more detailed information to the people at the controls. Even law enforcement will benefit because they could use newly gathered traffic data to designate specific speed limits at certain times to all the mobile users in a given area. That's some decent new regulations that are best for safety and avoiding speed traps easier because you're getting a constant reminder from a phone.

How easily will those stereoscopic devices be able to give back web pages that are in stereo? Especially when the software helps code the values in percentages for various screen sizes. This easily allows web designers to gear the stereo content for the maximum screen and each screen smaller than that to a certain percentage based on the standard display sizes. In its nature Adobe Edge does this for animations and other features to be supported on the various screens. Why can't stereo be as easily controlled?

Something that will become a staple of modern technology will be in New York City cabs, and other modern city taxi services, as eventually it is possible for them to have stereo HD touch-screens that run specific apps; such as globalization map oversight, internet connectivity, and naturally ads on both a local, federal, and international level. The experience will be different, but intelligent. Transactions will be able to controlled through it because all taxis will have little computer drives in them that are offloaded by a taxi company at the end of each shift. It's all going to be connected, and the stereo is for the passenger as much as the control is there for the companies, who will make revenue from the ads. Although there are no open plans for this yet, it's a natural evolutionary step to get giddy about. Sure will make taxi rides more bearable.

As a final thought to this topic: Apple led the way with their tablets. The first tablet company (Google's Android is looking solid to lead since MasterImage uses their software) to develop all this into a device that is stereo ready, and push the web aspects along with the app design structure, will reign huge amongst the others. It's an untapped market that will happen in the next year and six months. Adoption of standards, however? We'll see how standards come into practice, and in the next post I'll cover more specifically how future updates to Edge, based on where After Effects has reached, will allow stereographers to work more elegantly through a web environment.